Alice Medrich is a rock star pastry chef in the San Francisco/Bay Area. She had a wonderful bakery for many years. I even took a class from her once at Sur La Table in Berkeley. Her Cookies and Brownies has been a mainstay in my library for over 10 years and it is well loved. http://www.amazon.com/Alice-Medrichs-Cookies-Brownies-Medrich/dp/0446523828
Pages have started to come out and many of the others are marked with cocoa and butter stains. I had baking supplies left over from the holidays and decided to make cookies for Mike. His favorite are chocolate chip and he also loves peanut butter. I figured I'd use 1/2 and 1/2 since Reese's peanut cups are one of all time favorite candies.
I didn't change much in this recipe because her recipes are amazingly accurate and baking is kind of like chemistry. She spends alot of time getting these recipes perfect so I didn't want to mess around much.
Alice Medrich’s Chocolate Chip Cookies my way
2 1/4 cup all purpose unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking
soda
2 sticks unsalted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed
brown sugar, lump-free
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
extract
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter chips
Combine the flour
and baking soda in a bowl and mix together thoroughly.
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Remove
the pan from the heat and stir in the sugars and salt. Mix in the eggs and
vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture just until all of the dry ingredients are
moistened. Let the mixture and the pan cool. Stir in the chocolate chips and the
peanut butter chips. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably
overnight.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Position the racks
in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Remove the dough from the
refrigerator to soften. Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough and place them 3
inches apart on cookie sheets. Bake for ~5 minutes, or until the cookies
are golden brown at the edges and no longer look wet on the top. Rotate baking
sheets from top to bottom and front to back about halfway through the baking
time to ensure even baking. Bake for ~5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cookies firm up on the
pan for 1 to 2 minutes. Use a metal pancake turner to transfer them to a rack to
cool completely before storing or stacking. May be stored in a tightly sealed
container for several days.
These cookies are incredibly good. Right off you'll notice that she has you melt the butter rather than cream it with the sugars. She also insists that you chill the dough and not use parchment paper. The temperature is also very important. It is definitely worth it to follow all of her instructions. Her cookies have a near perfect balance of sweetness, crispness and gooeyness. Mike is a total Toll House cookie guy. I think Alice may have converted him. Enjoy!
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
More fast, easy and fresh with chicken...
I am working through the February Bon Appetit BA Kitchen Fast, Easy, Fresh and the next dish is Chickpea Stew. Here's the link http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/quick-recipes/2012/02/chickpea-stew. These dishes are using meat as more of an accent than the main event but they all are so flavorful and have such hearty additions that you don't miss it at all. The stew has boneless chicken thighs in it and is very rustic. It's not really a dinner party dish but would make a lovely Sunday night supper with some roasted cauliflower.
Chickpea Stew my way
1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large garlic cloves, peeled, cored and pressed
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoons tomato paste concentrate
1/4 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
1 bay leaf
2 cups chicken stock
1 15-ounce cans garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 small jar Italian roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
~2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 small handfuls of country style bread, cubed
small handful flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
I love cumin and chili flakes so this dish had me right there. The chicken was really flavorful as were the beans and the peppers were something alittle different. The bread cubes soaked up the sauce and lemon juice and added a nice texture. We both enjoyed this stew. It was quick and easy and as hearty as it was seemed very healthy. It was a great dish on a cold Northern CA night. Two thumbs up! Enjoy!
Chickpea Stew my way
1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large garlic cloves, peeled, cored and pressed
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoons tomato paste concentrate
1/4 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
1 bay leaf
2 cups chicken stock
1 15-ounce cans garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 small jar Italian roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
~2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 small handfuls of country style bread, cubed
small handful flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
Heat olive oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper; add to pot and cook, turning once, until browned, 8–10 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Reduce heat to low and let oil cool for 1 minute; add garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, ~1 minute. Add cumin, tomato paste and red chili flakes; stir until a smooth paste forms, about 1 minute. Chop chicken into bite size pieces and add with any accumulated juices, bay leaves and chicken stock. Scrape up any browned bits. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, occasionally stirring, until chicken is tender, about 20 minutes.
Add garbanzo beans to pot; bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add red peppers. Stir in lemon juice; simmer for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Divide bread cubes among bowls. Ladle stew over. Garnish with parsley.
I love cumin and chili flakes so this dish had me right there. The chicken was really flavorful as were the beans and the peppers were something alittle different. The bread cubes soaked up the sauce and lemon juice and added a nice texture. We both enjoyed this stew. It was quick and easy and as hearty as it was seemed very healthy. It was a great dish on a cold Northern CA night. Two thumbs up! Enjoy!
Sunday, January 29, 2012
More Fast, Easy and Fresh
We enjoyed the Beef Milanese from the February Bon Appetit BA Kitchen so much that I decided to try the Roasted Potatoes and Haddock Puttanesca. Here's the link http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/quick-recipes/2012/02/roasted-potatoes-and-haddock-puttanesca. I want to try another couple of recipes from this issue. I've bought the ingredients to make them and will try them out his week, more recipes to come.
This was wonderfully flavorful, bright and healthy. There's a kick from some red chili flakes and pungent saltiness from anchovies and capers. I didn't feel like we needed anything else and it was very satisfying as it was. This would also be a good dish for a dinner party like the Beef Milanese, maybe with a green salad and garlic bread.
Roasted Potatoes and Haddock Puttanesca my way
~3 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 large garlic cloves, peeled, cored and sliced
2 teaspoons anchovy paste
1/4 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
1 28 ounce box Pomi chopped tomatoes and their juices
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
5 small fingerling potatoes, quartered
1 large shallot, peeled and cut into 1/4 with root end left on
8 ounces haddock fillet, cut into bite size pieces
1 tablespoon capers packed in salt, rinsed
small handful Italian parsley, chopped
Place fish in an medium baking dish. Drizzle with remaining ~1/2 tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on bottom oven rack and roast with potatoes until fish is just opaque in center, potatoes are golden brown and tender, and shallots are crispy, ~7 minutes longer.
Spoon puttanesca over fish and vegetables; garnish with capers and parsley.
We really liked this dish and Mike remarked that there were not enough shallots so I would cook 2 shallots next time. We shared a bottle of Vina Robles Suendero 2007 Paso Robles which went very well with the fish and spicy tomatoes. Enjoy!
This was wonderfully flavorful, bright and healthy. There's a kick from some red chili flakes and pungent saltiness from anchovies and capers. I didn't feel like we needed anything else and it was very satisfying as it was. This would also be a good dish for a dinner party like the Beef Milanese, maybe with a green salad and garlic bread.
Roasted Potatoes and Haddock Puttanesca my way
~3 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 large garlic cloves, peeled, cored and sliced
2 teaspoons anchovy paste
1/4 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
1 28 ounce box Pomi chopped tomatoes and their juices
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
5 small fingerling potatoes, quartered
1 large shallot, peeled and cut into 1/4 with root end left on
8 ounces haddock fillet, cut into bite size pieces
1 tablespoon capers packed in salt, rinsed
small handful Italian parsley, chopped
Heat ~2 tablespoons oil in a medium pot over low heat. Add garlic and anchovy paste; cook, stirring until combined, until garlic is soft but not browned, ~3–4 minutes. Add red chili flakes; cook until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add tomatoes, increase heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, 15–20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 425°. Place a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet. Toss ~1 tablespoon oil, potatoes, shallots, salt, and pepper in a large bowl to coat. Spread in a single layer on prepared rack. Roast on top oven rack for 18 minutes. Keep in oven.
Place fish in an medium baking dish. Drizzle with remaining ~1/2 tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on bottom oven rack and roast with potatoes until fish is just opaque in center, potatoes are golden brown and tender, and shallots are crispy, ~7 minutes longer.
Spoon puttanesca over fish and vegetables; garnish with capers and parsley.
We really liked this dish and Mike remarked that there were not enough shallots so I would cook 2 shallots next time. We shared a bottle of Vina Robles Suendero 2007 Paso Robles which went very well with the fish and spicy tomatoes. Enjoy!
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Quick & easy beef
In the current issue of Bon Appetit magazine the BA Kitchen column features "Fast, Easy, Fresh" winter recipes. I made the Beef Milanese with winter slaw and I just might make all 6 recipes. http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/quick-recipes/2012/02/beef-milanese-with-winter-slaw
This was truly one of the quickest "nice" dinners I've ever made. Mike was shocked. And easy? I had been sick for 2 days so wasn't up to any anything complicated or drawn out and this was amazingly easy. I had purchased the ingredients a few days earlier so was prepared in that regard. The only special tool you would need is a meat pounder but could improvise with a cast iron skillet.
Beef Milanese my way
This was truly one of the quickest "nice" dinners I've ever made. Mike was shocked. And easy? I had been sick for 2 days so wasn't up to any anything complicated or drawn out and this was amazingly easy. I had purchased the ingredients a few days earlier so was prepared in that regard. The only special tool you would need is a meat pounder but could improvise with a cast iron skillet.
Beef Milanese my way
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
More Indian spices...
I made Keema beef curry last night and continued the Indian spice trend with chicken livers sauteed with a Indian spice sauce. I found the recipe in Food & Wine by Jennifer McLagan. The recipe called for lamb livers but I could not find them (I tried 3 stores). The substitute was chicken livers and Mike and I love those. Here's the link http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/sauteed-liver-with-indian-spices.
Sautéed Chicken Livers with Indian Spices my way
1/2 large red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled, cored and halved
~1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 serrano chile, ribs and seeds removed and chopped
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
2 cardamom pods—seeds removed and crushed, pods discarded
freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
~3/4 pound chicken livers, trimmed
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
brown rice, cooked in chicken stock
In a food processor, finely chop the onion, garlic, ginger, cumin, chile, turmeric, cardamom and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Add the water and pulse to make a soupy paste.
In a medium skillet, melt the butter. Add the paste and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until almost dry, ~5 minutes. Add the stock and simmer over low heat, stirring, until the sauce is thickened, about ~15 minutes.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Season the liver with salt and pepper and cook over moderately high heat until browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Turn the liver and cook until medium within, about 4 minutes. Add the liver to the sauce and simmer for 1 minute. Add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Serve with rice.
I know some of these spices like cumin seeds and cardamon pods are unusual but if you decide to try this there are other recipes you can use them for and it can be worth it. This was wonderfully flavorful and almost overwhelmed the chicken livers. I served this with the brown rice and roasted broccoli I tossed with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. I ate it with Ancient Peaks 2010 Rose from Paso Robles, CA. Great combination. Enjoy!
Sautéed Chicken Livers with Indian Spices my way
1/2 large red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled, cored and halved
~1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 serrano chile, ribs and seeds removed and chopped
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
2 cardamom pods—seeds removed and crushed, pods discarded
freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
~3/4 pound chicken livers, trimmed
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
brown rice, cooked in chicken stock
In a food processor, finely chop the onion, garlic, ginger, cumin, chile, turmeric, cardamom and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Add the water and pulse to make a soupy paste.
In a medium skillet, melt the butter. Add the paste and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until almost dry, ~5 minutes. Add the stock and simmer over low heat, stirring, until the sauce is thickened, about ~15 minutes.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Season the liver with salt and pepper and cook over moderately high heat until browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Turn the liver and cook until medium within, about 4 minutes. Add the liver to the sauce and simmer for 1 minute. Add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Serve with rice.
I know some of these spices like cumin seeds and cardamon pods are unusual but if you decide to try this there are other recipes you can use them for and it can be worth it. This was wonderfully flavorful and almost overwhelmed the chicken livers. I served this with the brown rice and roasted broccoli I tossed with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. I ate it with Ancient Peaks 2010 Rose from Paso Robles, CA. Great combination. Enjoy!
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Curry
I found this recipe in Food & Wine by Grace Parisi, one of my favorite F&W contributors. She learned to cook Indian food from Julie Sahni. Julie wrote Classic Indian Cooking. Here's the link: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/keema-beef-curry
I liked the combo of ground meat, potatoes, coconut milk and spices. I added more vegetables to make it a one pot meal. I also did not cook any rice to go with it since the curry had potatoes in it and I bought some naan to accompany it. It would have been wonderful with rice to capture the sauce so I might leave out the potatoes if I make it again. I did not use any oil and didn't need it but it will depend on the leaness of your ground beef.
Keema Beef Curry my way
1/2 large red onion, finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, peeled, cored and pressed
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cups low-sodium chicken broth
about 1 inch peeled and grated fresh ginger
one 14 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
3 medium carrots, chopped
1 1/2 cups frozen succotash
2 teaspoons Madras curry powder
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 mediumYukon Gold potatoes, cut into small chunks
3/4 pound ground beef
1/2 box Pomi tomatoes, ~ 14 ounces
warm naan, for serving
Add the ground meat and cook over high heat, stirring to break up the lumps, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, ginger, garlic and curry powder and season with salt and pepper. Cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until the onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Add the potatoes, carrots, broth, coconut milk and the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender, about 15 - 20 minutes.
Add the succotash and cook just until heated through and the potatoes are fully cooked. Serve in bowls with warm naan.
This curry had a wonderful flavor and all the vegetables made it a meal in a bowl. The warm naan was delicious sopping up the sauce. Mike and I really enjoyed this curry on a cold California night. Enjoy!
I liked the combo of ground meat, potatoes, coconut milk and spices. I added more vegetables to make it a one pot meal. I also did not cook any rice to go with it since the curry had potatoes in it and I bought some naan to accompany it. It would have been wonderful with rice to capture the sauce so I might leave out the potatoes if I make it again. I did not use any oil and didn't need it but it will depend on the leaness of your ground beef.
Keema Beef Curry my way
1/2 large red onion, finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, peeled, cored and pressed
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cups low-sodium chicken broth
about 1 inch peeled and grated fresh ginger
one 14 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
3 medium carrots, chopped
1 1/2 cups frozen succotash
2 teaspoons Madras curry powder
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 mediumYukon Gold potatoes, cut into small chunks
3/4 pound ground beef
1/2 box Pomi tomatoes, ~ 14 ounces
warm naan, for serving
Add the ground meat and cook over high heat, stirring to break up the lumps, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, ginger, garlic and curry powder and season with salt and pepper. Cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until the onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Add the potatoes, carrots, broth, coconut milk and the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender, about 15 - 20 minutes.
Add the succotash and cook just until heated through and the potatoes are fully cooked. Serve in bowls with warm naan.
This curry had a wonderful flavor and all the vegetables made it a meal in a bowl. The warm naan was delicious sopping up the sauce. Mike and I really enjoyed this curry on a cold California night. Enjoy!
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Cinnamon and oatmeal-match made in heaven
This Christmas when I was buying chocolate and peppermint to make bark I picked up a bag of Hershey's cinnamon chips. http://www.hersheysstore.com/product/7688
I love cinnamon and on the back of the bag was a recipe for oatmeal cinnamon chip cookies. I love oatmeal cookies. I love them more than chocolate chip which I know is unAmerican or weird but there you have it.
I did not have a chance to make them over the holidays and Abigail and Mike weren't too interested in trying them so the bag was languishing in my pantry until yesterday. Here's my take on the Hershey's recipe.
Oatmeal Cinnamon Chips cookies my way
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
(If I had thought of it before I began making the cookies I would tried substituting 1 cup unsweetened apple sauce for 1 stick of butter to cut down on fat al la Everyday Champagne banana bread recipe)
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon Jameson's whiskey (I ran out of vanilla)
1 1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
(not in the recipe and I didn't think to add it but the cookies would have benefited from 1 teaspoon kosher salt)
2 1/2 cups oatmeal
1 10 ounce package Hershey's cinnamon chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In standing mixer, cream together butter and brown sugar. Scrape down bowl. Add eggs and vanilla and Jameson's. In a bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix in until combined. Scrape down bowl. Add in oatmeal and chips.
Drop teaspoonfuls of cookie dough onto ungreased cookie sheets and cook approximately 10 minutes until cookies are lightly browned. Cool 1 minute on sheet and transfer to cooling rack. Makes about 4 dozen small cookies.
Mike is a huge chocolate chip cookie fan so these are not his favorites but he likes them enough to be eating them! I love like them-I love the chewiness of the oatmeal and would be tempted to add some more cinnamon as well as have enough vanilla next time. These are great with coffee and I wish I had had some milk. Enjoy!
I love cinnamon and on the back of the bag was a recipe for oatmeal cinnamon chip cookies. I love oatmeal cookies. I love them more than chocolate chip which I know is unAmerican or weird but there you have it.
I did not have a chance to make them over the holidays and Abigail and Mike weren't too interested in trying them so the bag was languishing in my pantry until yesterday. Here's my take on the Hershey's recipe.
Oatmeal Cinnamon Chips cookies my way
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
(If I had thought of it before I began making the cookies I would tried substituting 1 cup unsweetened apple sauce for 1 stick of butter to cut down on fat al la Everyday Champagne banana bread recipe)
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon Jameson's whiskey (I ran out of vanilla)
1 1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
(not in the recipe and I didn't think to add it but the cookies would have benefited from 1 teaspoon kosher salt)
2 1/2 cups oatmeal
1 10 ounce package Hershey's cinnamon chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In standing mixer, cream together butter and brown sugar. Scrape down bowl. Add eggs and vanilla and Jameson's. In a bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix in until combined. Scrape down bowl. Add in oatmeal and chips.
Drop teaspoonfuls of cookie dough onto ungreased cookie sheets and cook approximately 10 minutes until cookies are lightly browned. Cool 1 minute on sheet and transfer to cooling rack. Makes about 4 dozen small cookies.
Mike is a huge chocolate chip cookie fan so these are not his favorites but he likes them enough to be eating them! I love like them-I love the chewiness of the oatmeal and would be tempted to add some more cinnamon as well as have enough vanilla next time. These are great with coffee and I wish I had had some milk. Enjoy!
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Rabbit run!
I wanted to try cooking rabbit. I had tried it in Italian restaurants in a ragu over pasta. The French also cook rabbit often. So if it makes you feel better about rabbit call it coniglio or lapin. I know some people have a problem with eating lapin but it was wonderful. Mike and I took a page from Lord of the Rings The Two Towers and Samwise Gamgee and added potatoes to our coneys.
Sebia's braised lapin
1 tablespoon extra olive oil
1 young rabbit, approximately 2 1/4-2 1/2 pounds, cut into pieces and seasoned with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium red onion, diced
6 small or 3 large garlic cloves, peeled, cored and pressed
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 teaspoons herbes de Provence
1 bay leaf
1/2 bottle red wine like California central coast Syrah
1 box Swanson's chicken stock or 32 ounces chicken stock
1/2 pound small red fingerling potatoes, halved
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
~8 small baby Bella mushrooms, stems removed and halved
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Heat olive oil in large oven proof skillet over medium low heat. Add the rabbit and brown on all sides, about 10-15 minutes. Remove rabbit from the pan and add onion. After it has softened add garlic, cook about 2-3 minutes. Add carrots and celery to pan and saute about 5 minutes. Add herbes de Provence and a bay leaf. Deglaze the pan with red wine and bring to a boil until wine is reduced by about 1/2. Add ~1/2 chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add potatoes. Bring to a boil, add anchovy paste. Put rabbit back in pan. Cover with more stock. Put lid on and cook in 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Turn rabbit over after 1/2 hour. Remove rabbit and whisk in 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard. Return rabbit to pan and turn in sauce.
I served this in shallow bowls with sauce. We should have had bread to dip in sauce. We finished the Vina Robles Ryan Road Syrah and opened a bottle of Ancient Peaks 2008 Oyster Ridge. It was delicious, the meat silky and potatoes and other veggies yummy! Enjoy!
Sebia's braised lapin
1 tablespoon extra olive oil
1 young rabbit, approximately 2 1/4-2 1/2 pounds, cut into pieces and seasoned with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium red onion, diced
6 small or 3 large garlic cloves, peeled, cored and pressed
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 teaspoons herbes de Provence
1 bay leaf
1/2 bottle red wine like California central coast Syrah
1 box Swanson's chicken stock or 32 ounces chicken stock
1/2 pound small red fingerling potatoes, halved
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
~8 small baby Bella mushrooms, stems removed and halved
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Heat olive oil in large oven proof skillet over medium low heat. Add the rabbit and brown on all sides, about 10-15 minutes. Remove rabbit from the pan and add onion. After it has softened add garlic, cook about 2-3 minutes. Add carrots and celery to pan and saute about 5 minutes. Add herbes de Provence and a bay leaf. Deglaze the pan with red wine and bring to a boil until wine is reduced by about 1/2. Add ~1/2 chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add potatoes. Bring to a boil, add anchovy paste. Put rabbit back in pan. Cover with more stock. Put lid on and cook in 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Turn rabbit over after 1/2 hour. Remove rabbit and whisk in 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard. Return rabbit to pan and turn in sauce.
I served this in shallow bowls with sauce. We should have had bread to dip in sauce. We finished the Vina Robles Ryan Road Syrah and opened a bottle of Ancient Peaks 2008 Oyster Ridge. It was delicious, the meat silky and potatoes and other veggies yummy! Enjoy!
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Martha's chicken
My friend, Jane, passed this recipe on to me from Martha Stewart. She tried it and raved it about it and I love a good roast chicken. Throw in some potatoes and lemon and I'm sold. This is a great version and worth trying. Here's the link: http://www.marthastewart.com/870131/lemon-parsley-and-parmesan-plus-chicken-and-potatoes. I didn't make the sauce but it was terrific without it. I served it with roasted Brussels sprouts. It made the whole house smell wonderful!
Lemon Chicken and Potatoes my way
1 whole organic chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place chicken on a baking sheet. Rub with 2 tablespoons oil; season generously with salt and pepper. Place sage and 1 lemon half in cavity.
Lemon Chicken and Potatoes my way
1 whole organic chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons dried sage
2 teaspoons dried sage
1 1/2 lemons, halved
1/2 pound fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place chicken on a baking sheet. Rub with 2 tablespoons oil; season generously with salt and pepper. Place sage and 1 lemon half in cavity.
Toss potatoes and 2 tablespoons oil. Drizzle with juice from remaining lemon half. Season with salt and pepper. Scatter potatoes along chicken.
Roast for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 375 degrees; cook for 25 minutes. Rotate pan, toss potatoes, and cook until potatoes and chicken are golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken's thigh reaches 165 degrees, about 25 minutes more. Let chicken and potatoes stand for 10 minutes.
The lemon was wonderful with the chicken and the potatoes. I roasted the Brussels sprouts with the chicken and potatoes which made it a very easy meal to bring together. We ate it with the White 4 from Vina Robles. Memorable-enjoy!
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Duck confit ragu redux
I made a ragu out of duck leg confit legs last year. I bought some more confit and decided to try it again. I combined the recipe I used last time with a new one I found online. Here's my link from February 2011 http://sebiacooks.blogspot.com/2011/02/pappardelle-with-duck-ragu.html and here's the link I used to make a slightly different variation http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/pacificnw/2005/0206/taste_recipe.html.
Duck Confit ragu my way
2 duck confit whole legs, skin removed and meat removed from the bone and chopped into bite size pieces
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, diced
1 rib celery, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
2 medium cloves garlic, peeled, cored and pressed
1/2 cup dry Marsala
1/2 cup dry white wine
~14 ounces chopped tomatoes with juice like Pomi Chopped Tomatoes (1/2 a box)
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper (to taste)
1 tablespoon butter
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 ounces fresh pasta like tripoline (flat with 1 ruffled side)
fresh grated Parmesan cheese to taste
Heat olive oil in large saute pan. Add the onion and cook until softened and it begins to turn translucent. Add garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes. Add celery and carrot. Sauté until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
Add the Marsala and white wine, tomatoes and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil. Add the chopped duck to the pan, cover, and simmer 5-10 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of butter. Stir until sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Meanwhile bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package to al dente. Add pasta to duck sauce pan and add pasta water to sauce if more liquid is needed. Taste and season if necessary.
This is a delicious and luxurious combination. We ate this with a Syrah from the Central CA coast, Vina Robles Ryan Road Syrah. We ate and drank and watched Prohibition by Ken Burns. Irony anyone? Enjoy!
Duck Confit ragu my way
2 duck confit whole legs, skin removed and meat removed from the bone and chopped into bite size pieces
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, diced
1 rib celery, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
2 medium cloves garlic, peeled, cored and pressed
1/2 cup dry Marsala
1/2 cup dry white wine
~14 ounces chopped tomatoes with juice like Pomi Chopped Tomatoes (1/2 a box)
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper (to taste)
1 tablespoon butter
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 ounces fresh pasta like tripoline (flat with 1 ruffled side)
fresh grated Parmesan cheese to taste
Add the Marsala and white wine, tomatoes and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil. Add the chopped duck to the pan, cover, and simmer 5-10 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of butter. Stir until sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Meanwhile bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package to al dente. Add pasta to duck sauce pan and add pasta water to sauce if more liquid is needed. Taste and season if necessary.
This is a delicious and luxurious combination. We ate this with a Syrah from the Central CA coast, Vina Robles Ryan Road Syrah. We ate and drank and watched Prohibition by Ken Burns. Irony anyone? Enjoy!
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Soup!
Mike's mom and sister sent us a honey baked ham for Christmas. Abigail doesn't really eat ham so I cut it off the bone and packed it into individual freezer bags. I boiled the ham bone in water for a few hours and after cooling it placed the stock pot into the refrigerator. The next day there was a thick white layer of fat of top of the broth that came off in one piece and reminded me of a pie crust. The broth was wonderfully clear and I used this to make soup! Here's my soup "recipe". This is definitely one of those times to use this as a guideline and to take off from it and use your own ideas and ingredients. Try split peas, different vegetables or leftovers. Add beer instead of white wine. Use oregano in place of thyme-the variations are endless. Have fun with it. I meant to add chopped swiss chard at the last minute. I forgot. This made alot of soup and I will probably add it tomorrow or the next time we have this soup. Kale would also be a good choice.
Post Christmas Ham Soup
homemade ham broth
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled, cored and pressed
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
3-4 celery stalks, trimmed and chopped
1-2 cups dry white wine
leftover roasted kabocha squash
~4-6 ounces sliced ham, chopped
1 pound Snow Cap beans, soaked, cooked and drained
2 teaspoons dried thyme
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Heat olive oil in large saute pan until hot over medium high heat. Add onions and cook until softened and translucent. Add garlic and cook approximately 2 minutes. Cook carrots and celery with onions and garlic for about 2-3 minutes until flavors start to meld and the vegetables begin to soften. Add wine and bring to boil loosening any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Let boil for about 5 minutes until the liquid begins to evaporate and thickens.
Add this mixture to the ham broth and bring to a low simmer, adding the cooked squash, ham and beans to the soup. Season with thyme, salt and pepper. Let simmer for about 1 hour. This is great made ahead and allowed to sit over night before eating. Serve it with crusty bread and white wine or cornbread and beer-your choice! Enjoy!
Post Christmas Ham Soup
homemade ham broth
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled, cored and pressed
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
3-4 celery stalks, trimmed and chopped
1-2 cups dry white wine
leftover roasted kabocha squash
~4-6 ounces sliced ham, chopped
1 pound Snow Cap beans, soaked, cooked and drained
2 teaspoons dried thyme
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Heat olive oil in large saute pan until hot over medium high heat. Add onions and cook until softened and translucent. Add garlic and cook approximately 2 minutes. Cook carrots and celery with onions and garlic for about 2-3 minutes until flavors start to meld and the vegetables begin to soften. Add wine and bring to boil loosening any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Let boil for about 5 minutes until the liquid begins to evaporate and thickens.
Add this mixture to the ham broth and bring to a low simmer, adding the cooked squash, ham and beans to the soup. Season with thyme, salt and pepper. Let simmer for about 1 hour. This is great made ahead and allowed to sit over night before eating. Serve it with crusty bread and white wine or cornbread and beer-your choice! Enjoy!
Monday, January 2, 2012
The holidays are officially over....
I was back at work today and our tree is down and the decorations are all packed away. I am ready to get back to a routine and start cooking healthy food. I've been wanting to try this recipe from the SF Chronicle from Jacques Pepin. Tonight seemed like the night-back to the routine, back to chicken and vegetables, no more Christmas decorations. Here's the link: http://articles.sfgate.com/2011-12-04/food/30476420_1_cookbook-ruhlman-s-twenty-jacques-cooking/5 in an article by Amanda Gold before Christmas regarding cookbooks. This is from Essential Pepin.
4 chicken thighs, skin removed
1 small red onion, chopped
12 medium mushrooms, cleaned and halved
2 small yams or sweet potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 cup dry white wine
4 large garlic cloves, peeled, cored and pressed
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the chicken pieces and saute over medium-high heat until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes.
Add the onion and cook for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms, yams, wine, garlic, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat, and simmer very gently for about 20 minutes. Remove the lid and cook another ~15 minutes until chicken is cooked through and yams are soft.
This was a comfort food dish and warm and satisfying. The mushrooms, onions and yams were delicious in the winey sauce. Mike and I both enjoyed this dish and I also drank some white wine with it. Thank you Jacques, enjoy!
Chicken Thighs With Wine & Yams my way
~1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil4 chicken thighs, skin removed
1 small red onion, chopped
12 medium mushrooms, cleaned and halved
2 small yams or sweet potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 cup dry white wine
4 large garlic cloves, peeled, cored and pressed
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the chicken pieces and saute over medium-high heat until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes.
Add the onion and cook for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms, yams, wine, garlic, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat, and simmer very gently for about 20 minutes. Remove the lid and cook another ~15 minutes until chicken is cooked through and yams are soft.
This was a comfort food dish and warm and satisfying. The mushrooms, onions and yams were delicious in the winey sauce. Mike and I both enjoyed this dish and I also drank some white wine with it. Thank you Jacques, enjoy!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)